Chinese word

不辞而别

Pronunciation

Pinyinbù cí ér bié

Meaning

  • idiomleave without saying goodbye

Example

他昨天不辞而别，大家都很担心。tā zuó tiān bù cí ér bié dà jiā dōu hěn dān xīn

He left without saying goodbye yesterday, and everyone was worried.

Illustration for 不辞而别 (leave without saying goodbye)

More examples

会议进行到一半，他悄然不辞而别。huì yì jìn xíng dào yí bàn tā qiǎo rán bù cí ér bié

He quietly left halfway through the meeting without saying goodbye.

Core concept

A sudden exit that leaves companions looking for the missing person instead of hearing a farewell.

Common phrases

  • 悄然不辞而别qiǎo rán bù cí ér bié

    quietly leave without saying goodbye

  • 偷偷不辞而别tōu tōu bù cí ér bié

    secretly leave without saying goodbye

Similar words

不告而别bú gào ér bié: Leaving without telling anyone or offering a farewell or explanation.
溜之大吉liū zhī dà jí: Sneaking away to avoid a problem or responsibility.
悄然离去qiǎo rán lí qù: Leaving quietly while avoiding people's notice.

Definition in Chinese

未经告知或告别就离开，常指突然离去，使他人不知情。wèi jīng gào zhī huò gào bié jiù lí kāi cháng zhǐ tū rán lí qù shǐ tā rén bù zhī qíng

Word origin

不辞而别 (bùcíérbié, "leave without saying goodbye") combines 不 (bù, "not") + 辞 (cí, "say goodbye") + 而 (ér, "and") + 别 (bié, "part"), so the wording portrays parting before a farewell.

Usage tips

  • In everyday Chinese, this idiom often carries criticism or concern, so it describes an abrupt departure rather than a neutral change of travel plans.

Other meanings

  • leave without noticeidiom

Opposites

Word lists with this word